FREE ADVICE FOR PARK SLOPE BUSINESSES: Are You Fucking Kidding Me With Your Hours?

Free Advice for Park Slope businesses is our recurring column in which we attempt to impart some useful advice to our local lovable biz owners. LISTEN THE HELL UP.

The other day I was working from home and realized we were out of Oliver's dog treats. I thought: "hey, why don't I walk over to that stupid pet store that I totally fucking hate (what can I say: I'm lazy), and get some more!" So at 10:15, I throw on Oliver's leash and we head on over.

Lo and behold, Beastly Bites is closed. at 10:15 in the morn on a weekday.

AYFKMWTS???

Every other business on the block is wide open, and street activity is hopping. This is not a bar...this is a pet store. People who need to go to pet stores need to go there in the morn. The whole thing just pissed me the hell off and reminded me that there are likely other businesses around Park Slope with ridiculous hours.

Here's the thing, Park Slope business owners: I know that it sucks ass trying to run a shop, restaurant or other retail establishment and not go bankrupt. And I know that you all have a lot of shit on your plates. But the times, they are-a-changin. People work a lot now, and that means they go to the office EARLY and come home LATE. So perhaps it's time to re-think your hours and be open at the times people really want to come into your shops??

I realize that there is no catch-all time schedule that is gonna work for everyone, but also, you might need to experiment with this shit! I was talking to Jenny recently, who along with her husband owns my new fave Park Slope fro-yo joint Culture. I asked her what their hours were, and she told me that they had not been set yet as they are trying to figure out what the community wants. How killer is that?? So for now, they are open early in the morn and stay until late at night (usually 11 on the weekends). Once they figure it all out, they can set their hours.

So yeah: ask your customers if you're getting it right! Find out if your current hours are working (and if not, CHANGE EM).

We want to spend money in Park Slope...really we do.

[Who else has ridick hours in Park Slope? Name check em in the comments].